2-IEHP-RFP-23-05041 Mass Notification Posted.pdf

Request for Proposal Rev. 03-13-2023

10801 6th Street Rancho Cucamonga, CA 91730

Request for Proposal #23-05041 Mass Notification System Solution

This RFP and any ensuing Addenda are available at the following link:

http://iehp.bonfirehub.com

NOTE: BIDDERS ARE RESPONSIBLE TO READ ALL INFORMATION THAT IS STATED IN THIS

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL AND PROVIDE A RESPONSE AS REQUIRED

http://iehp.bonfirebhub.com/

Definitions

1. As used herein, “Addendum” refers to an amendment or modification to the Request for Proposal (RFP).

2. As used herein “Bid” refers to the proposal submitted by a Bidder on the Bid Form consistent with the Instructions to Bidders, to complete the Work for a specified sum of money and within a specified period.

3. As used herein, “Bidder” refers to an individual, firm, partnership or corporation that submits a qualified Bid for the Work, either directly or through a duly authorized representative.

4. As used herein “Board” refers to IEHP’s governing Board.

5. As used herein, “CCA” means “Covered California”

6. As used herein, “Contractor” refers to any employee, agent, or representative of the contract company used in conjunction with the performance of the contract. For the purposes of this RFP, Contractor, Vendor, Bidder and Respondent are used interchangeably.

7. As used herein, “DHCS” means California’s “Department of Health Care Services.”

8. As used herein, “HFP” means “Healthy Families Program”.

9. As used herein, “HIPAA” means the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996, Public Law 104-91, enacted August 21, 1996, and the regulations promulgated thereto.

10. As used herein, “HITECH” means the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act provisions of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, Public Law 111-5, enacted February 17, 2009.

11. As used herein, “IEHP” means “Inland Empire Health Plan”.

12. As used herein, “IPA” means “Independent Practice Associations”.

13. As used herein, “JPA” means “Joint Powers Agency” specifically for the counties of San

Bernardino and Riverside.

14. As used herein, “MQs” refers to minimum qualifications.

15. As used herein, “RFP” means “Request for Proposal”.

16. As used herein, “PT” means “Pacific Time”

Timeline

1. The following timeline is based on IEHP’s requirements and will be strictly adhered to unless modified by written addendum:

Date: Description:

9/28/2023 RFP release date 10/05/2023 Bidder Questions Due (5:00 p.m. PT) 10/12/2023 Bidder’s Proposals Due (2:00 p.m. PT)

IEHP may choose to hold presentations/demonstrations with all, some or no vendors, at its sole discretion pursuant to this RFP.

2. The period of performance anticipated for this RFP shall be for one (1) year. IEHP shall have the option to renew the Agreement for four (4) additional one (1) year periods, upon written notice. This RFP does not commit IEHP to award a contract, and there is no obligation by IEHP to purchase any specified amount of goods or services. IEHP will award a contract, if any, in its best interest and based on a proposal that best meets its needs as set forth herein.

3. IEHP reserves the right to award to multiple bidders, based on IEHP’s needs, at IEHP’s sole discretion.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

A. SOLICITATION INTRODUCTION

1. Background of IEHP

2. Key Principles

3. Primary Goals

4. Program Objectives

5. Key Selection Criteria

6. Program Outcomes

7. Target Population/Historical Information

B. PROPOSAL COMPONENTS

Instructions Required Documents Bidder Acknowledgements Company Profile Company Evaluation Criteria Scope of Services Cost Proposal/Pricing Narrative Proposed Timeline Financial Documents Security Questionnaires Exhibit A: RFP Bidder Terms and Conditions Exhibit B: IEHP Standard Contract Terms

A. Solicitation Introduction

1. Background of IEHP Inland Empire Health Plan (IEHP) is a local public entity of the State of California and is a rapidly growing Medi-Cal and IEHP DualChoice (HMO D-SNP [Dual Eligible Special Needs Plans]) health plan in California. Since September of 1996, IEHP has consistently focused on our mission: “We heal and inspire the human spirit”. As a result of the Healthcare Reform and participation in the California Coordinated Care Initiatives, IEHP grew to over 1 million members. With a provider network of over 7,500 providers and more than 3,200 employees, we now serve more than 1.6 million residents of the Riverside and San Bernardino counties who are enrolled in Medi-Cal or

D-SNP.

IEHP’s Membership totals as of September 2023 are listed in the table below:

Line of Business Member Count Medi-Cal 1,641,843

D-SNP 34,548

Total Membership 1,641,843

2. Key Principles

This RFP contains a list of requirements for Mass Notification System Solution on behalf of IEHP. IEHP’s Procurement Department is soliciting responses from qualified vendors to address the stated requirements of this RFP. A qualified Bidder, for the purpose of this RFP, is one that can reliably and independently provide the required services to IEHP for the entire term of the agreement.

3. Primary Goals IEHP is looking for a vendor to provide a high-availability Mass Notification System for emergency and routine alerts through diverse channels like voice, email, text, and social media. The system should integrate with IEHP's existing systems for crisis communication, incorporate geospatial safety measures, and potentially include RFID, building access integration, and the ability to import contact data for non-HR individuals.

4. Program Objectives The purpose of this RFP is to contract with a vendor who will provide a Mass Notification System Solution including, but not limited to, the following:

This RFP aims to obtain information to assist IEHP with current mainstream tools with alert warning notifications and emergency communication capabilities that are not presented with the Mass Notification system in use today. IEHP is requesting vendors to provide estimated timeframes for implementation (product and services) to deploy a new Mass Notification System.

The proposed Mass Notification System will be fully hosted by the vendor. The system should be web-based, with the ability to access the system via a secure internet connection from any computer, tablet, or smartphone to send out alerts and notifications.

5. Key Selection Criteria

IEHP’s key selection criteria include, but are not limited to, the following:

a. Price

b. Financial strength

c. Corporate functional capabilities

d. Responsiveness to the RFP

e. References and/or referrals

f. Contract Terms

g. Proposed Timeline

6. Program Outcomes The expected outcome is that the successful bidder will configure and implement a Mass Notification System that meets or exceeds the requirements of this RFP to the satisfaction of IEHP.

7. Target Population/Historical Information IEHP has 3,200 Team Members. In addition to the IEHP Team Members onsite at the main facility, there are also a small number of employees belonging to a building tenant, daily visitors for meetings and events, telecommute Team Members coming in for trainings or other meetings, and several onsite contracted vendors.

B. Proposal Guidelines Instructions:

This document is provided to bidders as a reference. Bidders are not required to enter answers to bidder questions in this document. All required questions will be found under the associated solicitation number on the Bonfire website at http://iehp.bonfirehub.com.

o All requested documents from each section shall be uploaded to their corresponding document slot at http://iehp.bonfirehub.com.

o All questions from each section shall be answered by Bidders in the corresponding questionnaire and/or bid table located at http://iehp.bonfirehub.com.

Follow the instructions in each section of this RFP.

All proposals must include a detailed description of each proposed service to be provided.

Responses that do not comply with submission instructions may be delayed or not accepted for review.

Bidders that do not follow the bid instructions found in the Bidder Terms and Conditions document, attached hereto as Exhibit A, may be found to be “non-responsive” and disqualified from the bid process, at the sole discretion of IEHP.

A duly authorized officer of the organization must sign your RFP response.

IEHP reserves the right to modify or terminate the RFP process at any time. IEHP may amend or modify the project scope of services prior to the award of contract, as necessity may dictate, reject any and all proposals submitted (and rebid, if necessary), accept any or all proposals submitted, negotiate with any qualified source, or cancel, in part or in its entirety, this RFP if it is in the best interest of IEHP.

IEHP may keep submissions and negotiations confidential until the Governing Board approves the final contract and/or a contract is issued. Proposals may contain financial statements or other information which constitute a trade secret. In order to protect such data from disclosure, please identify the pages by clearly marking the applicable pages as confidential.

Upon receipt of this RFP, recipients are expected to read and understand the service priorities and requirements that have been defined by IEHP. Opportunity will be given to ask questions and receive clarification. The character and operating principles of the successful vendor are important to IEHP. The following sections ask questions about the history and purpose of the vendor’s company. Please answer the specific questions. If additional information would be informative to IEHP, please add it to the last question in each question set.

http://iehp.bonfirehub.com/ https://iehp.bonfirehub.com/

Each proposal will be reviewed to determine if the proposal is responsive to the submission requirements outlined in the RFP. A responsive proposal, for the purpose of this RFP, is one which follows the requirements of this RFP, includes all documentation, is submitted in the format specified in this RFP document, is submitted on time, and has the appropriate signatures required on each document. Failure to comply with these requirements may result in the proposal being deemed non-responsive and, therefore, rejected, at the sole discretion of IEHP.

An Evaluation Committee comprised of IEHP stakeholders will review each bidder’s responses to the questions contained in this RFP. If the respondent cannot represent and warrant the business requirements listed herein, the proposal may be rejected, at the sole discretion of IEHP.

The Evaluation Committee will review, evaluate, and score the proposals. The best response(s) may be recommended for another round of evaluation at IEHP’s sole discretion.

IEHP reserves the right to conduct as many rounds of evaluations as it deems to be reasonable or necessary in the public interest. Each round of evaluation may result in modification of scores, further clarification or addenda being issued, and changes in the RFP process.

Upon evaluation of the criteria and the rating and ranking, the Evaluation Committee may choose to conduct an oral presentation/demonstration with any bidder(s). Upon completion of the oral presentations/demonstrations, the Evaluation Committee members may re-evaluate, re-score and/or re-rank the proposals remaining in consideration.

The price proposal will be evaluated relative to the combination of the technical proposal, including an evaluation of how well it matches the bidder’s understanding of IEHP’s needs described in this Solicitation, the bidder’s assumptions, and the value of the proposed solution and/or services. The pricing evaluation is used as part of the evaluation process to determine the bidder that will provide the best overall value to IEHP.

IEHP may direct negotiations with its first-choice bidder, negotiations with multiple bidders, and/or may request for best and final offers. The discussions may include price and conditions attendant to price. This RFP includes IEHP’s standard, required contract terms, attached hereto as Exhibit B, which IEHP expects to be incorporated into a final contract form together with other terms and conditions. Failure to accept IEHP’s standard terms may result in the Bidder being removed from consideration.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, if IEHP believes IEHP and the said bidder(s) cannot reach agreement on a contract, IEHP shall exercise its right to terminate or suspend negotiations and may begin negotiations with the other bidder(s). This process may continue until a contract acceptable to IEHP has been executed or all proposals are rejected. No bidder shall have any rights against the IEHP arising from such negotiations or termination thereof.

A Bidder’s protest of any IEHP decision to eliminate the Bidder from further consideration for an award, or to award a contract to another Bidder, shall be made in writing and submitted to IEHP by 5:00 p.m. on the fifth (5th) day following notice to the Bidder or award of the contract, whichever occurs first. The written protest shall be submitted to legal@iehp.org The written protest shall fully describe each and every basis for protest and shall describe the manner in which IEHP failed to act within its discretion or abused its discretion. For avoidance of doubt, IEHP’s intent is to reserve its discretion under this RFP to maximum amount allowed by law, and this RFP shall be construed in favor of reserving IEHP’s discretion in all circumstances. Failure to timely and completely submit a protest shall constitute a final and conclusive waiver of any and all rights to bring a legal action to challenge an award of a contract pursuant to this RFP. IEHP will not consider untimely protests or protests where the Bidder failed to timely object pursuant to Section 1 of the Bidder Acknowledgements below.

All Bidders expressly acknowledge that IEHP may proceed with awarding and implementing a contract pursuant to this RFP while any protest, or legal action related to a protest, is pending.

Required Documents

All requested documents listed below shall be uploaded to their corresponding document slot at http://iehp.bonfirehub.com.

Note: Failure to provide the required documents listed below may be grounds for disqualification of bidder from the RFP process, at IEHP's sole discretion.

1. Principal Certification Binding Bidder’s Response (IEHP-provided form)

2. Certification of Non-Debarment (IEHP-provided form)

3. Non-Collusion Declaration (IEHP-provided form)

4. Local Preference Affidavit (If applicable – IEHP-provided form)

5. Contractor’s Certificate Regarding Workers’ Compensation (IEHP-Provided form)

6. Company W-9 Form listing company’s Tax Identification Number (TIN)

7. Evidence of Insurability (ACORD Certificate of Insurance)

8. Business License(s)

9. Company Profile and Evaluation Criteria (Questionnaire Q-67CV)

10. Company Hierarchy/Organizational Chart

11. Bidder Response Questions (Questionnaire Q-58NQ)

12. References (Questionnaire Q-25CT)

13. Functional Organizational Chart

14. Credentials/Certifications/Licenses Document

15. Account Management Narrative

16. List of three (3) awarded contracts in excess of $200,000 that your company has been awarded during the last three (3) years, showing year, type of services, dollar amounts, of services provided, location, contracting company, contact name, and phone number.

17. Cost Proposal (Bid Table BT-26VZ)

18. Pricing Narrative

19. Redacted Pricing Narrative

20. Financial Statements

21. Security Risk Assessment

22. IEHP Data Sharing Assessment

23. Sample Standard Reports

1. Clarifications, Exceptions, or Deviations All Bidders shall describe any exception or deviation from the requirements of the RFP in Question Set 1 of Questionnaire Q-67CV. Each clarification, exception, or deviation must be clearly identified. If your firm has no clarifications, exceptions, or deviations, a statement to that effect shall be included. IEHP’s standard contract terms are discussed in the RFP Bidder Terms and Conditions document incorporated herein by this reference, and attached hereto as Exhibit A.

Any objection by a Bidder to the prescribed procedures, terms, conditions or requirements set forth in this RFP or any of its component documents must be submitted to IEHP as part of, or contemporaneously, with the Bidder’s proposal. Failure to timely submit an objection, or failure to submit a proposal, shall constitute a final and conclusive waiver of any and all rights to thereafter such objection for any purpose including, without limitation, any protest or legal action to challenge an award of a contract pursuant to this RFP.

2. Evidence of Insurability/Business Licenses All Bidders shall submit evidence of all required insurance in the corresponding document slot on the Bonfire website. An Acord cover page will suffice and if awarded the contract the bidder has ten (10) calendar days to produce the required insurances, including a certified endorsement naming IEHP as additionally insured. The bidder shall certify to the possession of any and all current required licenses or certifications. Do not purchase additional insurance until this bid has been awarded. Provide a copy of current business license or other applicable licenses. Failure to provide the required document may be grounds for disqualification of bidder from the RFP process, at IEHP's discretion.

3. IEHP General Compliance Requirements for Contractors

IEHP requires all temporary staff and contractors to participate in General Compliance Training as required by State and Federal regulations. The training is followed by a quiz designed to check the bidder’s knowledge about compliance topics. This is a mandatory training which includes the following objectives: understand the purpose of a Compliance Program and its functions; learn the 7 Elements of an Effective Compliance Program; and learn about IEHP’s Fraud, Waste and Abuse and HIPAA Programs, including reporting requirements and how to report suspected non-compliance.”

4. IEHP Background Check Requirements for Bidders IEHP will require all individuals assigned to provide services to IEHP pursuant to this RFP, to undergo a background check prior to commencement of performance, at the Contractor’s expense, to include any and all background checks required by law.

5. Out of Country Services Notice

Bidder Acknowledgements

a. IEHP will only consider service offerings within the continental United States, defined as the 49 States including Alaska and the District of Columbia: excluding Hawaii.

b. Proposed solutions that create, transmit, receive and/or maintain IEHP data must always reside within the United States.

c. IEHP’s data must always remain in the United States.

d. All persons, electronic processes, information systems, and computer devices accessing IEHP’s information systems and/or data in any capacity as part of the proposed solution must be physically located in the United States.

6. Executive Order N-6-22 – Russia Sanctions

On March 4, 2022, California Governor Gavin Newsom issued Executive Order N-6-22 (the EO) regarding Economic Sanctions against Russia and Russian entities and individuals. “Economic Sanctions” refers to sanctions imposed by the U.S. government in response to Russia’s actions in Ukraine, as well as any sanctions imposed under state law. The EO directs all California state agencies and departments to terminate contracts with, and to refrain from entering any new contracts with, individuals or entities that are determined to be a target of Economic Sanctions. All contractors and grantees are obligated to comply with the Economic Sanctions. Accordingly, should the State of California (the State) or IEHP determine Contractor is a target of Economic Sanctions or is conducting prohibited transactions with sanctioned individuals or entities, that shall be grounds for termination of this Agreement. Contractor shall be provided with advance written notice of such termination, allowing Contractor at least thirty (30) calendar days to provide a written response. Termination shall be at the sole discretion of the State or

IEHP.

Company Profile This section of the proposal is designed to establish the Bidder as an entity with the ability and experience to operate the program or provide goods and/or services as specified in the RFP.

The Company Profile should be concise and clear, including descriptive information regarding service delivery. All Bidders shall answer these questions in Question Set 2 of Questionnaire Q- 67CV unless specifically stated otherwise below.

2.1 Company Name and Corporate Structure:

2.1.1 Business name and legal business status (i.e., partnership, corporation, etc.).

2.2 Company overview of Mass Notification System services or activities performed, including:

2.2.1 IEHP is a public agency with a Board of Directors composed of elected officials and public members. The elected officials are restricted from voting on any action concerning a contract whose owners have made a campaign contribution of $250 or more in the previous 12 months. To assist them in their decision-making process, please indicate the owners of the company, and if any contributions were made to the Elected Officials.

2.2.2 Company hierarchy (President, Vice President, Company Officers, etc.) and an organizational chart. The organizational chart shall clearly identify all staff members that will provide services under this contract. Upload this document to the corresponding document slot on Bonfire.

2.2.3 Number of years in business under the present business name, as well as prior business names, and the number of years of experience providing the proposed, equivalent, or related services.

2.2.4 Location of the office from which the work under this contract will be provided, and the staff allocation at that office.

2.3 Provision of Services:

2.3.1 Please provide a detailed response discussing how Bidder plans on providing the services requested in this RFP; specifically, whether services will be provided by Bidder’s own forces, subcontractors.

2.4 Financial Interests:

2.4.1 Please indicate whether the Bidder holds controlling or interests in any other organization or is owned or controlled by any other person or organization. If none, please state N/A.

Governmental agencies are exempt from this requirement.

2.4.2 Provide any financial interests in any other business. Individuals who are personally performing the contracted services and governmental agencies are exempt from this requirement.

2.4.3 Please indicate if the Bidder is privately or publicly held. If private, please provide details of financial stability. If public, please provide ticker symbol and copy of your most recent annual report.

2.5 Company Structure/Staffing:

2.5.1 Please describe any organizational changes (mergers, acquisitions, divestitures) that have occurred in the past five (5) years.

2.5.2 Please indicate whether Bidder has organizational changes (mergers, acquisitions, divestitures) planned within the next five (5) years.

2.5.3 Please indicate whether Bidder has any layoffs, or personnel expansions planned within the next five (5) years.

2.6 Legal:

2.6.1 Provide a detailed explanation of any litigation involving the Bidder or any principal officers thereof in connection with any contract within the last five (5) years. Is your firm, or the principals corresponding with your firm, under investigation, being sued, suing, or affiliated in any lawsuit or alternative dispute resolution with any governmental agency?

If none, state N/A.

2.6.2 Has your company ever been or are you currently subject to any federal or state regulatory enforcement action including but not limited to exclusion and/or suspension from participation in a federal program?

2.6.3 List the officers of your organization who are authorized to negotiate the agreement with IEHP if awarded, and their positions within your organization.

2.6.4 Provide details of any failure or refusal to complete a contract. If none, that must be stated.

2.6.5 Has your company ever been or are you currently subject to any federal or state regulatory enforcement action including but not limited to exclusion and/or suspension from participation in a federal program?

2.6.6 State whether your company, or the principals corresponding with your company, are under investigation, being sued, suing, or affiliated in any lawsuit or alternative dispute resolution with any governmental agency. If so, please provide details.

2.7 Certification of Non-Debarment:

2.7.1 IEHP receives Federal and State funds. All bidders must sign and submit the Certification of Non-Debarment document provided by IEHP in Bonfire that verifies that the bidder is not listed on any of the exclusion lists notated in the section below. If awarded a contract, awarded vendor must notify IEHP immediately if debarred at any time during the contract period.

a. The Department of Health & Human Services (DHHS), Office of Inspector General

(OIG), and List of Excluded Individuals and Entities (LEIE). Please visit https://exclusions.oig.hhs.gov.

b. General Services Administration (GSA), and the System for Award Management (SAM.gov). Please visit https://www.sam.gov.

c. California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS), and Medi-Cal Suspended and Ineligible Provider List (S&I List). Please visit http://files.medi-cal.ca.gov/pubsdoco/SandILanding.asp.

d. Medicare Opt-Out List. Please visit https://data.cms.gov/dataset/Opt-Out- Affidavits/7yuw-754z.

2.8 Financial Stability:

2.8.1 Please detail your insurance coverage, including the name of the carrier and coverage level for General Liability.

2.8.2 Please detail your insurance coverage, including the name of the carrier and coverage level for Tech Errors & Omissions (E&O).

2.8.3 Please detail your insurance coverage, including the name of the carrier and coverage level for Cyber Crime Insurance

2.8.4 Please provide your revenue for last five (5) fiscal years.

2.8.5 Please provide your profit/(loss) for last five (5) fiscal years.

2.8.6 Please provide your company ratings (i.e., A.M. Best, Better Business Bureau, etc.).

2.8.7 Please provide your annual R&D budget for the last five (5) fiscal years (break out by product offerings).

2.8.8 Explain how your company is planning to meet the increase in demand for your product

(including implementation, training, and support) over the next three (5) years.

2.9 Eligibility to Participate in Federal and State Health Care Programs

2.9.1 In accordance with 42 C.F.R. 438.610, 422.503 (b)(4)(vi)(F), 423.504 (b)(4)(vi)(F) and

California Welfare and Institutions Code, Section 14043.6 and 14123, IEHP is prohibited https://exclusions.oig.hhs.gov/ https://www.sam.gov/ http://files.medi-cal.ca.gov/pubsdoco/SandILanding.asp http://files.medi-cal.ca.gov/pubsdoco/SandILanding.asp https://data.cms.gov/dataset/Opt-Out-Affidavits/7yuw-754z https://data.cms.gov/dataset/Opt-Out-Affidavits/7yuw-754z from employing, contracting, or issuing payments to an individual or entity that is excluded, ineligible, or terminated from participation in State and Federal health care programs. Contract awards are contingent upon the bidder, its principals’ and subcontractors’, eligibility to participate in State and Federal health care programs.

Bidders must certify that it or any of its subcontractors do not appear on State and Federal exclusionary lists in the Requested Data section of their response on Bonfire.

Company Evaluation Criteria

This section of the proposal is designed to further establish the Bidder as an entity with the ability and experience to operate the program or provide goods and/or services as specified in the RFP. The Company Profile should be concise and clear, including descriptive information regarding service delivery. All Bidders shall answer these questions in Question Set 3 of Questionnaire Q-67CV, unless specifically stated otherwise below.

3.1 Differentiators

3.1.1 What do you consider to be your company’s strengths, and how do you see your company as differentiated from other Bidders?

3.1.2 Is there any other information you would like IEHP to know about your company including value-added services?

3.2 Functional Organizational Chart

3.2.1 In the corresponding document slot on Bonfire, please provide a functional organizational chart of your company.

3.3 Account Management Team

3.3.1 In the corresponding document slot on Bonfire, please provide the name(s) and general background(s) of each member of your account management team that will be assigned to IEHP. Include the information below:

a. Functional area to which each person reports

b. Years of service with your organization

c. Total years of experience with commercial product implementation and operations

d. Number of public entity accounts currently handled

e. General size of the accounts (in terms of number of employees)

3.4 Organizational Information:

3.4.1 Provide a summary of the work plan and/or methodology and physical resources (staff and equipment) your company will commit to ensure successful Mass Notification System services in accordance with this RFP for identified IEHP team members.

3.4.2 Will IEHP have a dedicated team assigned throughout the implementation? If so, who?

Provide the organizational structure and experience for each team member, if not outlined above.

3.4.3 How would the account service team be structured after the implementation?

3.4.4 What is your company’s Mission Statement?

3.4.5 Summarize your company’s billing procedures.

3.4.6 What office will support IEHP?

3.4.7 Please indicate your company’s total number of employees this year and last year.

3.4.8 Please indicate your company’s total number of contractors this year and last year.

3.5 Administration:

3.5.1 Describe any customer and/or member services available on-line.

3.5.2 Could IEHP link their website to your website?

3.5.3 Do you have a customer service department? If so, what is the phone number, and the hours of operation?

3.5.4 Please describe how your customer service department is organized. Would IEHP receive a dedicated team?

3.6 Experience:

3.6.1 Describe your company’s experience/history with providing the services requested in this

RFP.

3.6.2 Describe your company’s experience with multi-campus mass notification solutions.

3.6.3 Describe your company’s relationship/experience with public entities.

3.7. Credentials/Resumes/Certifications/Licenses:

3.7.1 In the corresponding document slot on Bonfire, please provide information for all employees/subcontractors responsible for administering or providing services. Provide a summary list of the organizational personnel that will actively participate and contribute their skills to this project. Include in this list:

i. Name

ii. Job title

iii. Work location and

iv. Responsibilities

v. Qualifications/Experience

vi. Relevant experience in projects of similar size and complexity. (Responses may be one page per individual.)

vii. Education

viii. Certifications/licenses, if applicable

ix. Years of service with your organization

x. Total years of experience

xi. List other pertinent information that will assist in evaluating Bidder’s qualifications.

3.8 Awarded Contracts:

3.8.1 In the corresponding document slot, please provide a list of three (3) contracts in excess of $200,000 that your company has been awarded during the last three (3) years, showing:

i. Year

ii. Type of services

iii. Dollar amounts of services provided

iv. Location

v. Contracting company

vi. Contact name

vii. Phone number

Scope of Services

Summary of Services The following criteria will be required of the Awarded Vendor:

IEHP is seeking a high availability Mass Notification System to support IEHP with creating and delivering emergency alerts and routine notifications, as well as providing IEHP with the ability to receive public alert warnings and weather alerts. Emergency alerts should be easily configurable and deliverable through various modes, including but not limited to, voice, email, text, desktop, building speakers, social media, and mobile app.

The preferred system should have the ability to integrate with other IEHP systems to share information as it relates to crisis communications and emergency management. The system should also include safety features that utilize geospatial and mapping capabilities to quickly determine employees' safety at various onsite facilities, work from home, and employees who regularly work in the field.

Additional features being explored include Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) and building access systems, along with the ability to quickly import additional recipients not part of our Human Resource (HR) system (contractors, vendors, and temporary workers, daily onsite visitors) contact information via uploaded .CSV file(s).

An ideal system should include all items noted above.

Bidder Response Questions (Questions in the following section must be answered in Questionnaire Q-58NQ unless specifically stated otherwise)

1. Requirements

NO. REQUIREMENT DESCRIPTION

1 Redundancy & Diversity 1.0.1 Describe how your proposed solution provides redundancy and diversity across time zones and regions to guarantee 24/365 availability. (Include details indicating whether your proposed solution relies on a third-party cloud service provider.

1.0.2 Provide a copy of your agreement with the

cloud service provider and confirm that it does not restrict use of cloud service for applications which may impact life, health or property safety.

2 Safeguard Measures 2.0.1 Explain in detail the vendor’s measures to safeguard the system from downtime caused by catastrophic event; electrical failure, Internet outage, etc.

2.0.2 What measures are taken to secure the

system from unauthorized access?

2.0.3 List all appropriate electronic security

certifications maintained by vendor.

3 Government Services 3.0.1 Vendor must represent how its core solution predominantly serves government with emergency notifications.

3.0.2 State the name of agencies and total number

of emergency notification clients currently served.

4 Years Providing Services & Experience

Vendor must have a minimum of 10 years of experience providing mass emergency notification services.

4.0.1 Provide a brief company history, including

any name changes, as well as the total number of years in business.

5 National or Regional Presence

Vendor must have a national or regional presence.

5.0.1 Vendor shall provide locations/addresses for

all facilities that will support this effort.

6 System Availability The system must be available for use no later than 12/27/23.

6.0.1 Describe the timeframe from contract

execution to system use (message creation and distribution) of notifications.

7 System Architecture

7.0.1 Describe the proposed system’s ability to

successfully deliver required messages with a minimum of a 99.9 connection rate, and within what timeframe.

7.0.2 It is preferable that the vendor operate and

maintain its own calling infrastructure, however vendor shall identify the need and function of any third-party contractors utilized to manage or support any component.

7.0.3 Describe in detail the involvement of all third-

party suppliers and infrastructure support organizations.

8 High Availability

8.0.1 At a minimum, the system must be triple-

redundant with facilities geographically separated across multiple power grids and time zones. Describe the vendor’s compliance with this requirement and provide a description of the overall architecture.

8.0.2 The system should meet 99.99% uptime.

Describe your uptime calculation formula.

8.0.3 Explain in detail the vendor’s measures to

safeguard the system from downtime caused by catastrophic event; electrical failure, Internet outage, etc.

8.0.4 Provide detailed system update and

recovery plans.

8.0.5 Do all parts of the connectivity service run on

vendor’s own network (Virtual Network Operator). If yes, please describe how the relationships between vendor and network infrastructure providers and the level of integration your service has with the Connectivity Management Platform (CMP).

8.0.6 Does the vendor run its own CMP or use a

third party?

8.0.7 Is the geographic coverage at the global, regional, and local levels and is it achieved by roaming agreements? Multi-IMSI SIMS?

8.0.8 Describe all methods of connectivity available

with bidder’s system.

9 Priority of Emergency Notifications

9.0.1 Describe your service parameters that include

the prioritization, such as the time between launching an event and when the outbound dialing and message delivery begin.

9.0.2 Provide your company’s solution Service

Levels .

10 Multifactor Authentication

IEHP partners with multiple municipalities/agencies which may require specific branding and messaging.

10.0.1 Describe the multi-factor authentication

provided for authorized users to access the web interface(s).

11 Reporting Requirements 11.0.1 Provide a detailed description of your solution’s reporting capabilities, such as:

• Fields on which queries can be run

• Customization of reports

• Ability for user/vendor to provide customized notification detail reports (i.e., job title, division, leadership roles, etc.)

• Length of retention of data

• Length of time after (or even during) a notification can reports be pulled 12 Mobile App The system must provide a mobile app for notifying customers, even those that have not opted in to specifically receive Authority’s alerts from.

12.0.1 Describe capabilities in detail. Provide

functionality by which recipients can select the categories or alert types they would like to receive in the mobile app.

12.0.2 Describe in detail how the mobile app meets

the following requirements:

• App must be ad-free for a streamlined user experience.

• Describe the user interface and include an actual screen shot

Functional Requirements. Respondents will answer each of the functional requirement questions below in the identified Question Set of Questionnaire xx-xx with one of the following responses only:

Yes (Y) - The proposed system currently meets all the requirements of the section and is included in the proposed system, at the proposed cost.

No (N ) - The proposed system does not currently meet all the requirements of the section, the identified functionality is not included in the proposed solution, and the Respondent does not anticipate development to address this requirement.

Alternate (Alt) - The proposed system meets the intent of the section but does not accomplish it in the same manner as it has been described. When using this answer the Respondent shall attach a separate response to each of the requirements, explaining in detail how their product meets the intent of the requirement.

Modification Required (MR) - The proposed system does not currently meet all the requirements of the section, but the Respondent will address the requirement through new development. When using this answer the Respondent is committing to deliver the function as a part of a future project or contract. If the Respondent would be charging IEHP for developing this functionality, the additional cost shall be clearly stated in a pricing section; otherwise, it shall be assumed that all related costs are included in the proposed cost.

Under Development (UD) – The proposed system does not currently meet all the requirements of this section. However, the required functionality is already being developed and will be delivered as part of this a future project or contract. If the Respondent intends to charge additional fees for the required functionality, the cost for the function must be clearly stated in the pricing proposal.

YES – (Y), NO – (N), ALTERNATE – (ALT), MODIFICATION REQUIRED – (MR), UNDER

DEVELOPMENT – (UD)

Alert Notification Modalities Question Set No. QUESTION NO. DESCRIPTION 13 13.0.1 Does bidder’s proposed solution have the ability to send out messages by multiple methods including but not limited to landline, cell phone, email, text messaging, VoIP, social media (Facebook, Twitter)?

13 13.0.2 Does bidder’s proposed solution have the ability to send alerts via Desktop notification using vendor’s software?

13 13.0.3 Does bidder’s proposed solution have the ability to send alerts via Microsoft Teams notification using vendor’s software?

13 13.0.4 Does bidder’s proposed solution have the ability to cascade alerts via conference room TV notification using vendor‘s software?

13 13.0.5 The ability to broadcast via Building Speaker alerts using vendor‘s software.

Automated Weather Notifications

14.0.1 Early earthquake warning - Does bidder’s proposed

solution have the ability to subscribe to different types of notifications received?

14 14.0.2 Weather Alert warning(s) – Does bidder’s proposed solution have the ability to subscribe to different types of weather alerts & notifications received (i.e., tornado, flash flood, and/or severe thunderstorm warnings)?

14 14.0.3 Integrated Public Alert Warning (IPAW) - Does bidder’s proposed solution have the ability to send employee notifications, geo-based notifications, and deliver IPAWS messages—all in one step from a single launch process?

14 14.0.4 Automated weather alerts – Does bidder’s proposed solution have the capability of delivering unlimited automated messages to the community for select warnings issued by the National Weather Service?

14 14.0.5 Does bidder’s proposed solution provide the ability to launch select automated weather warning calls based on the latitude-longitude polygon issued by the National Weather Service?

Safety & Security Features 15 15.0.1 Does bidder’s proposed solution provide interoperability or integration with other warning and communication systems (i.e., beacons, warning sirens, fire alarms, CAD, etc.)?

15 15.0.2 Does bidder’s proposed solution have the ability to provide source of intelligence?

15 15.0.3 Is bidder’s proposed solution FedRAMP Certified?

15 15.0.4 Is bidder’s proposed solution StateRAMP Certified?

15 15.0.5 Does bidder’s proposed solution have the ability to integrate with Panic Buttons via an App or physical hardware?

15 15.0.6 Does bidder’s proposed solution provide Safety Monitoring for employees, which involves Geospatial location ability?

System Features & Messaging 16 16.0.1 Does bidder’s proposed solution have the ability to include URLs for websites in messages, including IPAWS messages?

16 16.0.2 Does bidder’s proposed system allow the creation and use of user-created Templates?

16 16.0.3 Templates must be available via web browser and mobile devices.

16 16.0.4 Does bidder’s proposed system allow users to select the type of phone message to send – voice, SMS text, or voice and SMS text?

16 16.0.5 The system must offer the ability to deliver messages in text-to-speech. Does bidder’s proposed system have this ability?

16 16.0.6 Does bidder’s proposed solution provide the ability of occurrence two-way confidential communication during polling events?

16 16.0.7 Does bidder’s proposed system have ability to record and archive messages for future delivery?

16 16.0.8 Does bidder’s proposed solution allow for the manual creation and automatic import of an unlimited number of recipient groups?

16 16.0.9 Does bidder’s proposed solution support Manual creation of groups use .csv or .xls files as the import method?

16 16.0.10 Does bidder’s proposed system automatically retry unsuccessful phone attempts in order to maximize the number of successful phone deliveries?

16 16.0.12 Does bidder’s proposed solution place no limitations on the number of times data transfers can be performed from IEHP’s HR system?

16 16.0.10 Does bidder’s proposed solution provide an integrated RFID Activation System Compatibility - Access Control System?

System Functionality 17 17.0.1 Does bidder’s proposed solution provide the ability to send call list and group notifications?

17 17.0.2 Does bidder’s proposed solution provide the ability to send notifications to the hearing-impaired

(TDD/TTY)?

17 17.0.3 Does bidder’s proposed solution provide the ability to send notifications to residential, commercial, non-profit, government agencies, and other establishments in a selected geographic location?

17 17.0.4 Does bidder’s proposed solution provide internal notification ability for county and municipal employees?

17 17.0.5 Does bidder’s proposed solution provide geographically targeted messaging?

17 17.0.6 Does bidder’s proposed solution provide the ability to select contacts from a map interface using a radius, geo shape, address search, or saved geo shapes?

17 17.0.7 Does bidder’s proposed solution provide the ability to add contacts to a single notification from lists, conditional attributes, and map from a single interface?

17 17.0.8 Does bidder’s proposed solution provide the ability to eliminate select contacts from a geo shape(s)?

17 17.0.9 Does bidder’s proposed solution provide the ability to attach files to notifications?

17 17.0.10 Does bidder’s proposed solution provide the ability to cancel or stop a notification already in progress?

17 17.0.11 Does bidder’s proposed solution provide the ability to create notification templates and/or similar tools to increase user efficiency?

17 17.0.12 Does bidder’s proposed solution provide the ability to automatically send follow-up notifications using identical contacts?

17 17.0.13 Does bidder’s proposed solution provide the ability to create scheduled notifications to be sent at future dates/times?

17 17.0.14 Does bidder’s proposed solution provide the capabilities to push notifications as timed intervals?

(Example, 1st notification sent via SMS, schedule allowable time for next notification to be sent via email, then via voice call if no response provided.)

17 17.0.15 Does bidder’s proposed solution provide the ability to create custom voice recordings when creating notifications?

17 17.0.16 Does bidder’s proposed solution provide the ability to launch notifications via mobile devices, preferably with a mobile app?

17 17.0.17 Does bidder’s proposed solution provide separate environments for emergency notifications and internal notifications?

17 17.0.18 Does bidder’s proposed solution provide the ability to send pre‐recorded and/or uploaded voice files?

17 17.0.19 Does bidder’s proposed solution provide the ability to easily update a launched notification and send to all original contacts or non-connected contacts?

17 17.0.20 Does bidder’s proposed solution provide the ability to easily send a launched notification to new contacts?

17 17.0.21 Does bidder’s proposed solution provide access to subscriber’s website with ability to automatically publish recent notification text and polygon/geo information?

Data Integration & IT 18 18.0.1 Does bidder’s proposed solution currently have a connector available that integrates with the Fusion Risk Management System via API connection?

18 18.0.2 Does bidder’s proposed solution currently have a connector available that integrates with Fusion Risk Management System via SFTP connection?

18 18.0.3 Does bidder’s proposed solution currently have a connector available that integrates with Fusion Risk Management System via other connection?

18 18.0.4 Does bidder’s proposed solution currently have a connector that integrates with the HR System – SAP SuccessFactors, via API connection?

18 18.0.5 Does bidder’s proposed solution currently have a connector that integrates with the HR System – SAP SuccessFactors via SFTP connection?

18 18.0.6 Does bidder’s proposed solution currently have a connector that integrates with the HR System – SAP SuccessFactors via other connection?

18 18.0.7 Does bidder’s proposed solution require any 3rd party connection?

18 18.0.8 Does bidder’s proposed solution have the ability to integrate IEHP’s current Mass Notification system data into the vendor’s proposed system?

18 18.0.9 Does bidder’s proposed solution’s connectivity service run on the bidder’s own network?

Reporting

19 19.0.1 Does bidder’s proposed solution provide statistical reporting and query functionality?

19 19.0.2 Does bidder’s proposed solution provide reporting for tracking/monitoring employee activities?

19 19.0.3 Can bidder’s proposed solution provide 90/60/30 days for queries/archives?

19 19.0.4 Are bidder’s proposal solution’s archives available for at least 18 months?

19 19.0.5 Are bidder’s proposed solution’s available report types all of the following: Excel, PDF, JPEG, Word, or CVS file?

19 19.0.6 Does bidder’s proposed system provide graphical and informational reports documenting notification results?

19 19.0.7 Does bidder’s proposed system provide a time stamp of completion of all first notification attempts, indicating the speed at which the message reached the majority of recipients?

19 19.0.8 Does bidder’s proposed system provide history of contact data imports including date, time, high-level results view and in-depth, downloadable results?

19 19.0.9 Does bidder’s proposed system provide recipient-specific message history, delivering results by mode for each message, along with a downloadable report that provides comprehensive information for every call and delivery mode for a given recipient?

19 19.0.10 Does bidder’s proposed system provide contact data metrics during the message creation process, informing users of the number of modes (phone, email, etc.) associated with the currently selected contacts?

19 19.0.11 Does bidder’s proposed system report all data and update in real time?

19 19.0.12 Vendor will provide initial training for System Administrators.

Contact and User Management 20 20.0.1 Does bidder’s proposed solution provide the ability for administrative users to update or edit public contacts including login credentials?

20 20.0.2 Does bidder’s proposed solution provide onsite visitors with temporary opt-in capabilities for emergency notification?

20 20.0.4 Does bidder’s proposed solution provide automatic geo-coding for contacts?

20 20.0.5 Does bidder’s proposed solution provide access to an unlimited number of users, including administrators, managers, and senders?

20 20.0.6 Does bidder’s proposed solution provide the ability for administrators to upload CSV contact files?

20 20.0.7 Does bidder’s proposed solution provide the ability for administrators to upload CSV user files?

20 20.0.8 Does bidder’s proposed solution provide map-based drawing and selection tools?

20 20.0.9 Does bidder’s…